Foundation garment



Aug. s, 1939.-

I IIIIIIIIII I'IIII' III II III I II In IIIIHIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIII III IHIII 'II II III III III II I III III II] II I III III IIII H II III II I IIII I I III M. CIRINGIONE FOUNDATION GARMENT Filed July 30, 1937 A ORNIIEY Patented Aug. 8, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 2,168,931 FOUNDATION GARMENT Michael Ciringione, Woodside, N. Y.

Application July 30, 1937, Serial No. 156,480

3 Claims.

This invention relates to foundation garments and more particularly to garments having a rear panel adjacent whose seams a stretchable zone is desired.

Heretofore garments having seams joining adjacenfi 'rear and side panels did not possess stretchability in a longitudinal-direction to any marked degree particularly in the rear panel adjacent where it joined the side or other panels. 10 It is an object of this invention to provide a foundation garment so constructed that it will possess an easy longitudinal stretch particularly over-the buttocks and yet firmly mold the remaining portions of the body.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a foundation garment which will conform in shape with the buttocks of the wearer, which will confine them, and which will permit easy bending, stretching or twisting in the area adjacent the buttocks and the back garters.

A further object of the invention is to provide a. foundation garment of this character which is simple in structure, efllcient for the purposes intended and of economical manufacture.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a rear panel which will possess a free and easy stretch in a longitudinal or vertical direction, particularly adjacent the area where it joins side or other panels having a stretch in another direction, such as circumferential or horizontal. A further advantage of my garment is that it provides limited vertical stretch on the upper part of the garment or waist encircling portion while permitting a greater longitudinal stretch in the buttock encircling portion particularly adjacent the area of the back garters. By limiting the vertical stretch on the upper part of the garment which is substantially above the hipline, the tendency of the garment to shift during activity is practically eliminated. These advantageous features and further objects are accomplished by the novel and practical construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter disclosed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, constituting a part of the disclosure, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a rear panel in a foundation garment, embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof. Fig. 3 is a sectional view t ken along line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view, showing the garment in a stretched position. v

The drawing which shows an example of car- 66 rylng out the i vent ud 1 ses a foundationas 'it'permits free and easy movement of the body garment having a front panel 5 and side panels I. These panels may be constructed in the conventional manner and made of any of the well-known materials suitable for the purpose intended. However, it is preferable to construct the side 5 panels I of a material having a circumferential stretch and relatively little or none longitudinally, although a material known as a 2 way stretch material having having a longitudinal as well as circumferential stretch may be employed. Attached to the side panels l by means of the scams 8, 9, is a rear panel R. adapted to conform generally to the hinder or rear portion of the body. This'panel R has a longitudinal or vertical stretch F but relatively little or no circumferential stretch and is provided wtih flared or winged portions l0. These flared or winged portions ID are formed by the arcuately diverging edges of the scams 9 which start at a point intermediate the upper and lower edgesof the garment. The portions Ill sweeping outwardly and downwardly are stretch-- able longitudinally of .the garment.

The dot-dash line H may be considered an extension of the point P which is located intermediate the upper and lower ends of the panel R, said point P being substantially where the side edges of the panel R commence to diverge. stretchable zones are thus provided on either or both sides of the extension of said intermediate point.

My invention may be utilized in the so called knitted garments wherein one or more or all front, side or rear panels are knitted together rather than stitched and in various styles of garments for instance, combinations, girdles, panties, etc.

In Fig, l the dot-dash line ll represents the line of pull of the panel B. when the garment is applied to the body. The section 6 of the rear pane R is located between and within the vertical line of pull i l and the sections in extend outwardly thereof respectively.

As clearly shown in the drawing, the joining edges of the rear panel R and the side panels I are shaped to provide the substantially straight seams 8, and the curved seams 9 continuous with the seams 8.

The curved seams 9 start at a point intermediate the upper and lower edges of the garment and progress outwardly and downwardly. There is thus provided a longitudinal or vertical stretch substantially along the lines of pull II, which is capable of more stretch than heretofore obtained. This is highly desirable in a foundation garment of the wearer. In instances where the foundation garment is anchored to stockings of the wearer less strain or tension is exerted on the delicate silk fibers thereof.

Hose supporter tabs I are provided at the front of the garment. Hose supporter tabs l3 are also provided at the rear of the garment, attachment thereof, preferably being made at substantially the line of pull ll of the garment.

The attachment of the tabs I 3' at these points permits easier and greater longitudinal stretch of the rear panel R along the lines where the greatest tension is exercised when the garment is worn particularly in sitting, stooping and twisting the body.

It is to be observed from Fig. 1 that the lower end of the rear panel R at the points where the hose supporters are secured have substantially tapering extensions providing a greater area of stretchability at the points where the maximum strain is exercised.

In a foundation garment constructed in accordance with this invention the waist encircling or upper portion of the garment defined by the seams 8 coincident with ,the line of pull 1 I serves to retain the foundation garment'in position at all times. This is due to the fact that there is substantially no vertical or longitudinal stretch from the juncture of the line of pull Ii and the seams 8 upwardly.

It is also evident that less strain is exerted on the connecting scams 8, 9. The curving of the adjoining panels I and R at the scams 9 facilitates the molding of the buttocks as shown in Fig. 2 and provides for a greater longitudinal stretch, than heretofore obtained, in the rear panel, particularly adjacent the back garters. It also permits free and easy stretching of the garment par ticularly when the wearer is bending or in a sitting position as the arcuately diverging panel curves in the direction of the movement and pull thus confining the buttocks.

Fig. 3 shows at M the overlapping edges of the panels 1 and R stitched to form the conventional seam with a backing It.

My invention has thus overcome among other things, the tendency for garments to ride up during movement of the body; the difliculty of not conforming in shape to the buttocks and thus better confining them; the lack of stretchability in a substantially longitudinal direction, particularly in the areas adjacent connecting seams and back garters. In the addition to the foregoing, I have produced a foundation garment which "cups" the buttocks confining portions of the garment thereby facilitating the molding of the buttocks and the retaining of the garment on the wearer.

In the accompanying drawing I have illustrated the invention embodied in one of its practical commercial forms but as this illustration is primarily for purposes of disclosure it will be understood that the invention is not limited to this particular form of structure and that it may be modified in many respects without departure from the true spirit and scope of the invention as herein defined and claimed. I wish it further understood that the terms which I have employed herein are used in a descriptive rather than in a limitating sense, except however for such limitations that may be imposed by the state of the prior art.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A foundation garment comprising a body, a rear panel, seams connecting the side edges of said rear panel to adjacent side edges of said body, hose supporters attached to the lower end of said panel and intermediate the side edges thereof, said panel stretchable substantially longitudinally but substantially unstretchable circumferentially, the sides of said panel diverging downwardly from a position intermediate the up- .per and lower ends of the garment establishing longitudinal lines of free stretchability from substantially said position and within the said rear panel to the lower end thereof and on both sides of said hose supporters, said hose supporters straddling at least some of said lines of pull to the said seams, respectively.

2. A foundation garment comprising a body, a rear panel, seams connecting the side edges of said rear panel to adjacent side edges of said body, hose supporters attached to the lower end of said panel and intermediate the side edges thereof, said panel stretchable substantially longitudinally but substantially unstretchable circumferentially, the sides of said panel diverging downwardly from a position intermediate the upper and lower ends of the garment establishing longitudinal lines of free stretchability within the said rear panel from substantially said position to the lower' end thereof and on both sides of said hose supporters, said hose supporters straddling at least some of said lines to the said seams, respectively, said rear panel having substantially tapering extensions at the areas where the hose supporters are attached.

3. A foundation garment comprising a rear panel having hose supporters attached to its lower end, said panel stretchable substantially longitudinally but substantially unstretchable circumferentially, the width of said panel being greater at its lower end than at its upper end establishing longitudinal lines of free stretchability from a predetermined position within the said rear panel, the said hose supporters located intermediate the diverging sides of the said panel where the width of the panel is substantially the greatest, said lines of stretchability extending to the lower end of said rear panel and through said hose supporters.

MICHAEL CIRINGIONE. 

